


Forcebond Swimming Lesson

by Armayra



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ben Solo - Freeform, F/M, ForceBond, Kylo Ren - Freeform, Rey - Freeform, Reylo - Freeform, Swimming, this is why you don't fall into cave full of water if you grew up on a desert planet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:22:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24526819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Armayra/pseuds/Armayra
Summary: Takes place during TLJ. Growing up in the desert and then falling into a cave filled with water is not the best thing to do. Or in which Rey gets very impromptu swimming lesson.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 5
Kudos: 54





	Forcebond Swimming Lesson

Ben had been walking down the corridor, on his way to his quarters when he felt it; sheer, unbridled panic, coiling around his insides like a snake ready to strike. He paused in his steps, his brows knitting together. There was nothing going on, no immediate danger -

" _Rey."_ The name slipped from his lips as the now familiar, deafening effect of the force connecting them sounding through him as he slowly turned around to face her. Rey was terrified, and he wouldn't put it past Luke to be the culprit.

Whatever it was that he had been expecting to see, it certainly wasn't the image of Rey soaking wet and flailing about, as if trying to keep her head above water. He watched her for only a second before the realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

_Rey was trying not to drown._

_Of course,_ she couldn't swim, she grew up on a dust bowl of a planet! He slammed his fist against the nearest wall, the sheer fact that he couldn't see where she was, didn't know how she had ended up in such a predicament burrowing into him like a white-hot knife.

He couldn't just stand there and watch, he had to do _something_ , but how? Was it possible to reach out, to pull her out of whatever body of water she had fallen into? Even if touch was possible, where would he set her? He didn't know how far away the nearest land mass was; what if there wasn't one and they got stuck in some sort of limbo? He tried to call out to her, to let her know how to at least get back to wherever the shore was, but she didn't respond, hadn't even seemed to notice their connection was active.

He grit his teeth. Think, kriff it! There had to be something, he refused to believe that his only option was to watch as the only person that had ever given him, well... _hope_ cease to be.

_Wait._

The guard. When he had still had her in captivity, she had used a mind trick to escape. But where had she learned it? She had been completely untrained, barely even knew that she could use the force at the time. Unless...she had gained more than just his fears when their minds had briefly touched.

He took a deep breath, forcing his racing heart to slow down. There was a way to pass information between them; all he had to do was concentrate. He closed his eyes briefly, focusing on the image of her successfully swimming back to dry land. He opened his eyes to see that she had stopped flailing about, instead treading water.

_Good, now just move forward_

As if she had heard him, she slowly started to move, heading towards what he could only assume was the shore.

He let out the breath that he had been holding, the knot inside him finally beginning to uncurl. He stole one last glance at her, before turning around and making the rest of the way to his quarters.

~~~~

In hindsight, Rey realized that going to the dark, unknown pit that she had seen hadn't been the smartest idea. But the pull had been so strong, her curiosity so deep; she hadn't been able to resist peeking and had ended up almost drowning for her troubles. For as beautiful and fascinating as water was, she had vastly underestimated just how dangerous it could be.

Faintly she had thought she heard some say her name but had been too preoccupied trying not to die to really pay attention. Just as she was beginning to face the very real fact that she was about to drown in the one thing she had dreamed about most, an image slipped into her mind. It was simple and clear cut; easily showing her the proper way to float in place and her arms stopped their frantic movements, instead making calm, circular patterns in the water.

_Good, now just move forward_

The voice was calm and caring; belonging to someone who was patient enough to teach her reckless self how not to drown. She pushed through the water, reaching the ground that had previously been taunting her with its closeness.

Now she sat inside the hut that Luke had given her to use, a blanket wrapped around her as she tried not to shiver both at the cold and the aftereffects of what she had seen in the cave. It would be nice if she had someone to talk to about it, but Luke had been frightened enough the first time she had mentioned it that she highly doubted the old man would take well to her bringing it up again.

If there was anyone that would understand, it would be the person that she was starting to think wasn't quite so bad as she had originally thought; the same one that had been kind enough to save her from a watery death.

"I know it was you." Rey looked up as everything around her seemed to grow muted, to see Ben sitting down, already watching her. When he didn't say anything, she continued. "Thank you for that. You didn't have to, but you did."

It was barely noticeable, but she could've sworn the corner of his mouth tipped up into the merest hint of a brief smile. "Not going to accuse me of anything this time?" He asked instead.

"No, not exactly..." She glanced away, tugging the blanket tighter around her, unsure how to start putting together the thoughts that were swirling around inside her head. "There's this...underground cave, of sorts, here. It's dark and yet it felt as if it was calling to me and before I knew it, I was there, trying to find out why."

"That's when you fell in."

She nodded. "I should have realized it sooner, that there was a body of water underneath. But I just couldn't resist it's pull."

"You should be more careful next time." She half expected him to sigh in exasperation from his tone, but instead he remained as unexpressive as ever.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

_Unless of course it means that you'll keep helping me if I don't._

Rey squashed the thought down, resisting the urge to shake her head. To distract herself, she decided to continue with her story.

"When I got out of the water, there was a large, mirror like surface that took up the entirety of the wall. When I touched it, everything else seemed to fade away, and there was countess numbers of me, all standing in a line. Every motion I made was repeated, making its way down each reflection like a ripple; it became hard to keep track of where exactly I was in it. I should've felt trapped or panicked; but I didn't. It didn't go on forever, I knew it was leading somewhere. That in the end it would show me what I came to see." She looked down, the same cold, heavy weight settling in her chest just as it had right after what she had seen had ended. "I thought I'd find answers here. I was wrong." She blinked, fighting against the warm, prickling sensation at the corners of her eyes. "I'd never felt so alone."

"You're not alone." It was the kindest tone he'd taken with her, soft and almost whispered, full of a longing she recognized in herself; the same soul deep ache to belong. She looked up, and while his face had remained unchanged, she saw it in his eyes. They were deep and pained, as if he was about to burst into tears at any moment. She took a breath, realizing that he was just as lost and alone as she was.

"Neither are you." Everything she had believed before was wrong; there was still light in him, there was still _hope._ If she could get him to turn, they could surely bring an end to the war and find the belonging they both so desperately craved. She swallowed, her eyes never leaving his face. "It isn't too late."

He shifted in his seat, and while he didn't say anything, she knew that her words had struck something inside him. All he needed was the right push. Slowly, she reached up a hand, holding it out to him. His eyes instantly darted down to it, staring at for a moment before looking back up at her. He pulled off one of his gloves, reaching out for her in turn, his eyes never leaving her face. As soon as their fingers brushed against each other, everything around them changed.

They were in the Falcon, her and Ben, both dressed differently as they were now, and yet it still felt so _right._

She reached over from her spot in the pilot's seat, taking his hand in hers with a soft smile. "It's going to be okay, Ben."

He looked at her, face as expressive as his eyes, worry and doubt evident as his free hand clutched the dice that he wore around his neck. "Are you sure? I'm starting to think this was a bad idea. I know I agreed to try and make up for the things I've done -"

She squeezed his hand. "Don't worry, I'm sure I can get them to see you the same way I do."

"Rey -"

"STOP!"

~~~~~

Luke had done it _again._

Once more the old man had shown up, ruining everything just as Ben was about to make a break through.

When he had touched Rey's fingers he had seen them together, actually in the same place at the same time, walking down a corridor on an imperial ship. That had to mean she would turn to be with him, right? Sure both of their clothes had been different, but what other reasons would they be on a First Order ship for?

Rey had been about to say something, but as soon as she opened her mouth he had been abruptly brought back to the present from Luke's yell.

Wither it was because Ben and Rey connecting was simply that powerful, or the old man had been so angry that somehow triggered it, but for a split second Ben had actually been able to see Rey's surroundings. He was now left alone in his quarters, the image of the hut crumbling down around Rey burned into his mind.

What happened after that? Luke had tried to kill him before, what was he about to do to Rey?

He ran a hand roughly through his hair, pacing along the length of his quarters. Was she safe? Was she alright? He needed to run to her, give Luke what was finally coming to him –

But he didn't know where she was. Plenty of planets had huts as dwellings; it wasn't near enough to figure out where she was.

_I'm coming, Ben._

He paused in his steps, looking behind him. He saw nothing, but the sound of her voice was unmistakable. She fine, and on her way to him. He let out a breath, his fists relaxing.

This must be the beginning; this is how what he saw came to be. They would be together and everything would be alright.


End file.
